NeoCytex is developing novel regenerative therapeutics that accelerate the healing and repair of diseased tissues. Our compounds stimulate the production of healthy new cells from adult stem cells, enhancing the body's natural ability to heal itself. The first drug candidate is being developed as a treatment for degenerative diseases of the central nervous system. Data from animal experiments indicate that the compound can speed up the production of functional new neurons from endogenous 'adult' neural stem cells.

Treatment for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Stroke

Over 6 million Americans suffer from Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. An additional 5.4 million patients live with the debilitating effects of stroke. There are no cures. The cost of caring for these patients will exceed $225 billion this year. Because of the complexity of the diseases and lack of well-characterized drug targets, few new candidate drugs are entering clinical trials. Use of cell transplantation therapy to repopulate the brain with healthy cells has encountered significant technical and regulatory hurdles. Our drug candidate bypasses these hurdles by directly coaxing the production of functional new neurons from preexisting neural stem cells in the brain. A safe new drug to improve neural function would be an important advance in the treatment of chronic CNS diseases.

Developmental Stage

NeoCytex's lead drug candidate is at the preclinical testing stage. It is stable, orally bioavailable, and able to cross the blood brain barrier. In controlled assays, the compound induced neurogenesis (formation of new brain cells) from precursor stem cells by up to seven-fold in aging rodents. Moreover, after four weeks, the drug-treated animals exited a maze significantly faster than the untreated group, suggesting functional recovery.